OT: Best Christmas Stories, Movies and Traditions

Several things. 8 years ago we moved to Kansas to be near our two grandsons-who are now 9 and 12. Each year, taking them to a nearby Christmas tree farm and walking through the trees, picking one out and cutting it down...is a special time. Now they also do most of the decorating-this year's tree is fabulous.

Our big, most special time is our many year tradition of making candy-from scratch. Today was our grands 8th consecutive participation in this event. We meltdown about 10 pounds of chocolate. We make our own caramel for turtles-and to eat straight...there's nothing like the stuff and we cook up peanut brittle. Our prized product though is chocolate covered cherries...we make about 150 of them-and they are a bit complicated. 

Our youngest grand, 9 years old, stayed overnight last night...we made the caramel to help with the prep time for today. Oliver advised us that we needed to get an early start today...as this is a 7-9 hour project. My wife and I were not anticipating the 5:30 start time! But this kid is a doer...and we were off and running. Other family members showed up between 8 and 10. 

So, we made lots of candy. Peanut brittle, caramels, turtles, chocolate covered cherries, peanuts, pretzels, caramels and lemon balls and peanut butter balls. I think that is about it. It was a beautiful winter day so after all the candy-making was completed and the dishwasher was filled and running we took a nice property hike of our 55 acres...across the creek and through the woods and overs the hills...counted all our sheep and cattle to make sure they were good! 

As always, this was a very special day.

Polar Express is our favorite, love it.

The correct answer to all three: DIE HARD.

Jingle All the Way with Arnold Schwarzenegger, Phil Hartman, and Sinbad is my favorite Christmas movie. All-star lineup. 

It's a Wonderful Life.

After the 'Baby it's Cold Outside" thing this year, I'm wondering if it's next on the hit list.

George and his DUI/Resisting arrest/attempt at suicide/destruction of private property/fleeing the scene of an accident.

To say nothing of stalking Mary at the library closing.

Bert the cop harassing Violet. Violet joining MeToo......Oy Vey.

Currently watching Die Hard if that helps. 

We do last minute shopping in Schaumburg IL on Christmas Eve and eat at Arthur's Deli in Rock Falls on the way back. Home of the reclining pickle!

On Chistmas Eve we take turns reading out loud sections of Dylan Thomas's A Child's Christmas in Wales. When the children were young, my wife and I took turns reading; as the children became literate, each of them joined in. It's not a lengthy work, so it doesn't  take long to read the whole thing.

I'm not into watching movies during the holidays. My buddy Marv and I have cased a few neighborhoods in the Chicago area. After we burglarize the home we clog the drain then turn on all the water and move to the next one. The McCallister house is ours for the pickin

"The Man Who Invented Christmas" based on Charles Dickens efforts to write "A Christmas Carol"  subtitled A Ghost Story of Christmas is my new favorite. 

Bacon for breakfast  Bacon, waffles, french toast, and more bacon.

Best Christmas movie: Finnish classic Rare Exports.

My tradition? Spending too much money, making extremely unhealthy food, cleaning, and everyone trying to wrangle all the kids and avoid any melt downs with all the holiday excitement. It's very traditional.

I watch Ordinary People and think about those that have taken their own lives.

We are officially starting a new tradition this year.

My father-in-law passed away in April, and since its the first Christmas without him, we will be remembering him by having root beer floats on Christmas Eve. It was one of his favorite things to do with all the grandkids..it was a “Papi” thing. So we will hope he’s somewhere smiling down on us having one too.

My family is Jewish. On the left, my 11-year-old son and I have an absolute love of all things Christmas.  Starting on the morning of Thanksgiving, set up the radios in the car to the all Christmas stations, Decorations outside of a house with a ton of life (albeit with a Hanukkah tgeme that includes a menorah and some dreidels) and the whole family goes into NYC to see the tree and store windows. 

On Christmas day, we engage in the greatest of Jewish traditions: Movies and Chinese food.

Making gravy. No that isn't a euphemism. 

When I was a child my mother would cook the turkey until it was completely desiccated and serve it up with maybe 4 ounces of hastily made gravy. That was holiday Astroglide right there and when it was gone it was gone. I vowed to never be in that situation again. 

Today I will roast off maybe 8 lbs of turkey wings along with roughly chopped mirepoix. There will be 16 quart and 12 quart stockpots gently simmering on the stove overnight. Tomorrow I will have about a gallon of good condensed stock which will become an equal amount of gravy. Enough for dinner for 4 and leftovers I should think. 

Watched It’s a Wonderful Life (1946) last night. Christmas Eve we will watch Polar Express and Christmas Day it will be A Christmas Story. Same 3 movies every year.

Christmas vacation on Christmas Eve 

Big breakfast after opening presents then go to the movies if anything is decent on Christmas Day 

My family likes to listen to Handel's Messiah during Advent.